Point of View
Getting Back What We Give…
are even wilder and crayons are
not even an option. But then there
are the days that I look around the
classroom and I see young teens who
have had the toughest things in life
thrown at them, busy making really
good art. I see them quietly beam-
ing at the successes they see in front
of them . . . proud of a skill or an
teach, fell in love, head over heels idea that they didn’t know they pos-
. . . again. I connected with the kids sessed.
like I never could’ve imagined. Any art teacher who has worked
After a year and a half of substi- with these very special young people
tute teaching, I was ready to look for knows exactly what I am talking
full-time work. Would any school about. There’s a sense of awe, know-
want me as a full-time art teacher? I ing how little self-esteem they came
had loads of energy in with, and with
and tons of art and I can’t imagine doing what pride they
life experiences, anything more worthwhile leave us. It is our
but would that be with my life. gift to them. What
enough to compete they give back to
against the fresh, young teachers? us is tenfold. They give us a sound
Thankfully, I landed a job. It sense of purpose, a humbler appreci-
wasn’t in a traditional school but an ation for what we have, and empathy
alternative school for emotionally for the world around us. I can’t imag-
disturbed teens. I had worked with ine doing anything more worthwhile
special education students while with my life.
substituting, but could I do this? The Am I sorry that I didn’t find out
principal had full confidence in me. how much I loved teaching earlier
Needless to say, the first two weeks in my life? Not in the least. I’ve
I was like a deer in the headlights. found that you need to be passion-Getting through the first year was ate about whatever you are doing. I
tough, but I slowly started to relax didn’t possess the passion for teach-and enjoy, maybe even thrive a little ing when I was younger. I don’t
in the environment. I am about to think I would’ve been an effective
finish my fourth year there and I am art teacher then. Now is an entirely
so grateful to have had the experi- different story; one I’m proud to be a
ence. central character in.
It’s not always a good day for the
kids and sometimes we have to put
away the lesson and bring out the
crayons and just color. Some days
TENFOLD
Ann Skydell Harmon
Inever imagined myself teaching art in a special education
environment. For that matter, I
never pictured myself teaching.
I wasn’t sure what I wanted as a college freshman, but I was sure I didn’t
want to teach. After sitting in my
first college typography and design
course, I knew I had found my calling: graphic design.
I spent twenty years thoroughly
immersed and loving every minute.
I can still remember the smell of
the Pantone markers, cringing from
burned fingers on the wax machine,
and replacing X-Acto blade after
X-Acto blade. I couldn’t have been
happier. Eventually, I developed my
own design firm in suburban Boston.
I was paid to do what I absolutely
loved. How much luckier could I
have been?
Well, one thing led to another
(children, relocation, life) and I
was in a position to try something
new. A neighbor, who is a principal,
encouraged me to take the Praxis
licensure exam. I studied like crazy
and passed with flying colors. I
started working as a substitute
teacher in our local school system.
The woman who swore she’d never
Ann Skydell Harmon is an art teacher
at Meridian Academy in Lakewood, New
Jersey. Annmadeart@aol.com
